Six social housing construction projects across Dublin city centre are facing lengthy delays, and in some cases are not expected to be built, following the end of contracts between Dublin City Council and the Peter McVerry Trust.
The troubled social housing body was to build apartments at Fishamble Street, Cork Street, Echlin Street and Shaw Street in the south of city, and Sherrard Street and Halston Street in the north inner city. However, it has withdrawn from the social housing deals with the council.
The council said it has secured the agreement of two alternative approved housing bodies (AHBs) to develop social housing at its sites at Fishamble Street, beside the Civic Offices at Wood Quay and at Halston Street in the markets area of Dublin 7, but the four other projects remain without a housing provider.
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Since 2023 the trust has been in financial and governance turmoil and has been the subject of adverse findings in reports from the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority, the Charities Regulator and the Comptroller & Auditor General. It has also required a €15 million State bailout.
While the trust continues to provide homeless services, it has withdrawn from the construction of new social housing projects for the council, some it had agreed to undertake several years ago.
The Iveagh Trust has agreed to take on the development of 29 and 30 Fishamble Street, a council site in Dublin 8 which has been derelict since the mid-20th century. A vacant council site at Halston Street in Dublin 7 will be progressed by Tuath Housing. However, both housing bodies have said the projects are at a very early stage.
Another council site at Shaw Street, off Pearse Street is “under review by an alternative AHB” the council said.
All three developments were due for completion by the McVerry Trust in 2025. No new dates have been set for construction, and the council said it anticipates delays of up to 18 months in their redevelopment.
However, no housing bodies have been selected for the remaining three sites, the council said. One, which was not in the council’s ownership, has recently been sold and the new owner does not plan to build social housing.
On Cork Street, the Health Service Executive Weir Home, an Edwardian former nurses home, was to have been converted to housing by the trust in a project announced five years ago. With the trust no longer pursuing the project, the HSE said it is offering it to “all State stakeholders” but if no formal expression of interest is received by the end of March, will put the property on the open market.
Three Victorian Houses from 26-28 Sherrard Street Upper, owned by the trust, were to have been converted into apartments using council funding, but this has also been cancelled.
A derelict former shop beside Harkin’s Bar on Echlin street was to also have been redeveloped by the trust for social housing, but has recently been purchased by Stephen Harkin who has no social housing plans.
The trust said it would not be providing a comment on the matter.
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